308 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



BIRDS OF SONG,—KTo. XXXIV. 



THE AVIARY AND ITS OCCUPANTS. 

 No. II. 



There are many persons, not abso- 

 lutely fond of birds, who use them as mere 

 stepping-stones to their amusements. When 

 one bird dies, no regret is felt ; his loss is re- 

 placed by another. This remark applies to 

 the fanciful folk, who pride themselves upon 

 their mechanical aviaries. 



There have been, from time to time, a 

 number of experiments made by the curious, 

 to see if birds would live in mechanical 

 aviaries. Many and various are, and have 

 been, the cruelties practised in consequence. 

 By mechanical aviaries, we mean an extensive 

 space fitted up with fanciful papier mache 

 ornaments, and erections of painted wood, 

 in the form of artificial houses, cottages, &c. ; 

 with trees, wind-mills, water-mills, fountains 

 of real water, flowing brooks, rivulets, and 

 other similar adjuncts— the ensemble intended 

 to convey to the beholder the idea of a 

 rural landscape. 



The arrangement and disposal of these 

 objects has, to the eye, a very pictorial 

 effect ; and when the sails of the wind-mill 

 are at work, and the water is seen flowing 

 from the mill above — meandering in its 

 progress through the valleys beneath, the 

 effects are curious, the illusion is complete. 

 When, however, " song birds 1 ' are introduced 

 into the back-ground, to assist the artist in 

 animating his landscape, and expected to 

 be " happy" in a " Deserted Village" like 

 this—where there is nothing to be found at 

 all assimilating with their natural habits, the 

 whole affair becomes farcical in the extreme, 

 realising the old adage most felicitously — 

 that " there is but one step from the sub- 

 lime to the ridiculous." As well might the 

 mighty King of Brobdignag have laid him- 

 self down on a bed at Lilliput; stretched him- 

 self out at full length ; and expected to 

 have slept soundly without being comfort- 

 ably " tucked up." Strangely indeed must 

 things be out of tune, when a carpenter 

 usurps the place of a winged chorister, and 

 plays " first fiddle" in an aviary ! 



These mechanical aviaries' are, for the 

 most part, attached to the rear of a room 

 on the ground-floor of a house or mansion. 

 They are viewed by throwing tip a win- 

 dow, which, when raised, discloses the 

 whole mimic scene. The space allotted to 

 the unhappy feathered tribe doomed to in- 

 habit these miniature villages, when beyond 

 the limit of the spectator's observation, is 

 cruelly small, and altogether ill-adapted 

 for their comfort. Nor can their existence 

 under such circumstances be of long dura- 

 tion. The whole disposition of the 

 and its objects is unnatural 



place 

 Nature being 



entirely sacrificed for (so called) effect. If 

 such conceits as these must be perpetrated, 

 be it so. But then, spare no expense in 

 making the "acting" inhabitants comfortable 

 and happy " behind the scenes," as well as 

 " before the curtain." Verbum sat. 



A very large picturesque aviary, precisely 

 similar to the one we have been describing, 

 was, some years since, to be seen, by favor, 

 in the neighborhood of one of our fashion- 

 able squares at the West. It was erected by 

 an aged, wealthy gentleman, since deceased. 

 Fame, with her trumpet tongue, had brought 

 our aviary under his notice ; and inquiring 

 the whereabouts of our house of business 

 in town, he paid us a complimentary visit. 



Some days subsequently, our new ac- 

 quaintance called, by appointment, with an 

 ample carriage-load of gay folk at our rural 

 villa — to view what they termed " the Ex- 

 hibition." While walking through the 

 rooms, the old gentleman and his retinue 

 expressed, and we firmly believe expe- 

 rienced, the utmost astonishment and bewil- 

 derment at what they saw. They seemed 

 indeed amazed at the cleanliness and method 

 observable throughout the building. 



Of course we talked to them, as is our 

 wont when speaking about our pets, in a 

 frank and most expressive manner — detailing 

 the little endearments of our feathered 

 family, and dwelling impressively on their 

 attachments, recognitions, friendships, tricks, 

 and little manoeuvres to win our favor ; not 

 failing to catalogue also their faults, jea- 

 lousies, and tempers, &c.— dwelling on these 

 latter, however, as lightly as might be. 



All this was cle trop ; evidently quite be- 

 yond the comprehension of our visitors. The 

 ladies in particular — with one memorable 

 exception* — seemed to regard us as a re- 

 markable phenomenon. Indeed, Ave confess 

 Ave felt ourself such, while in their company. 

 The lacly hoAvever, Ave have just adverted to, 

 deserves honorable mention. She evidently 

 possessed a "soul," for she listened attentively, 

 patiently, Ave may add affectionately, to our 

 little story throughout — becoming every 

 moment more and more interested. Be- 

 tween ourselves, kind readers, Ave could 

 have found it in our A^ery heart to have 

 given this fair specimen of humanity one 

 of our choicest birds, had it been comme 

 ilfau't on so short an acquaintance. But as 

 it Avas not, we merely gave her an expres- 



* On this particular occasion, was beautifully 

 illustrated the remark of one of our good old 

 writers — " As, by the friction of two pieces of 

 ice, heat may be extracted ; so, in the coldest 

 bosom may dwell a warmth that only Avaits for 

 some favorable circumstance to bring it into 

 action." We could but lament, to think how soon 

 the bright spark kindled might be extinguished 

 by "strange fire! " 



